These basses sell for under $120, and provide very good quality for the money. They're made of wood that's normally found in more expensive basses and have a good reputation. The electronics and hardware are decent; therefore, the instrument sounds good and stays in tune. I own three of these basses; they sound good and are reliable enough that I also use them when playing with a band.

SX basses are available in long (34") or short (30") scale, depending on the size of your hands.

You'll need to replace the strings, however, to get a better sound. And the bass may need to set up so it plays well (adjust the truss rod in the neck and the saddles at the bridge).

You need to make sure your bass plays in tune. This tuner is highly rated by a lot of musicians, is accurate, easy to use, and reasonably priced.

Eventually, you'll learn to get your bass in tune by ear, but at first, we recommend you use a tuner until your ability to hear the accuracy of your tuning develops. This way you can get on with making music!

You need a metronome to act as a "pretend drummer" when you're practicing. The job of a bass player, next to the drummer, is to keep the time solid. A metronome beeps in perfect time, and helps you figure out where you're speeding up, and where you're slowing down when you practice.

This particular metronome has a reputation for being very tough, and long-lasting. It has basic features, but is all you need to play with good time.Learn More

Tempo Perfect Metronome Software(Free Download)

This is a software metronome you download to your computer. I found it quiet on my computer speaker, however, it's worth a try if you don't want to buy a physical metronome. Learn more

Practice Amplifiers

When you're starting out, you'll need something to amplify your bass so you can hear it. For practicing, a small 10 or 15 watt amp will do. If you intend to play with a band, however, you'll need something more powerful -- like a 100 Watt amp.

Peavey has always made good practice amplifiers, and is a brand a I often recommend. Search on Peavey Practice Amps at Musicians Friend:Learn More at Musicians Friend